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Cooper Draft Talk (4/2/21 Update: Enters Draft)


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7 hours ago, steeleagle said:

YES. Ballhandlers. I was really surprised looking around the league, how poorly we had in players that were ball handlers. Even Flanigan was ok, but not great, and without Powell and Cooper for long stretches the ONLY ball handler we had was JJ and Flanigan who should have bee always at the 3 spot.

I agree, we have to have at least 2 transfer PG or combo guards regardless if Coop stays or goes. 

I am going to assume Scoot doesn't reclassify, so we need 2 guards for sure. 

You say that alot about Flannigan at the 3. I don't really agree with that. Flannigan was about the only guy that can consistently create his shot. You saw him play and do what he was asked, (the hardest thing to do btw) when everybody gets a bit better it will be even easier for him to score. His highest upside is playing the 2. Unless he grows a couple of inches, and even if that happens everybody will be happy that he played all these positions. 

There's not too much of a difference between 2 and 3 anyway though. It's just he's an efficient scorer even when everybody packed the lane. It's harder to score in college than the NBA. He's a lefty. He's not scary. And he was the guy everybody gunned to stop. It's very different when you're the targeted guy.

He gets his 3 up to 40% he'll be a nightmare to guard. You're right about point, you shouldn't have your best scorer facilitating to guys who can't create shots. That's very easy to guard.

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My only disappointment this year was that we rarely inverted the offense. I would’ve gotten it over halfcourt and tossed it to Jaylin to facilitate the offense more often. With Cooper out, he was the best passer/facilitator we had, and it would’ve allowed Al to play off the ball. Al is a fantastic option as a secondary creator. Would’ve liked to see some screen game just to get Al the ball on the move on the backside of the play. Didn’t think Bruce was creative enough at times. 

Sharife can play at the next level. The question is and has been whether he’s better off learning on the job from his NBA assistant coaches or learning from high leverage situations as the center of the offense in college. He’s a late-teens or early-20s pick and has been seen as that for months. Nothing’s changed. If he improved his shot and increased his steals rate, he’s a top 10 guy in the next draft. That’s a big money difference, but it’s definitely not guaranteed. Tough decision either way. 

Edited by mcgufcm
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On 3/17/2021 at 5:27 PM, cole256 said:

You say that alot about Flannigan at the 3. I don't really agree with that. Flannigan was about the only guy that can consistently create his shot. You saw him play and do what he was asked, (the hardest thing to do btw) when everybody gets a bit better it will be even easier for him to score. His highest upside is playing the 2. Unless he grows a couple of inches, and even if that happens everybody will be happy that he played all these positions. 

There's not too much of a difference between 2 and 3 anyway though. It's just he's an efficient scorer even when everybody packed the lane. It's harder to score in college than the NBA. He's a lefty. He's not scary. And he was the guy everybody gunned to stop. It's very different when you're the targeted guy.

He gets his 3 up to 40% he'll be a nightmare to guard. You're right about point, you shouldn't have your best scorer facilitating to guys who can't create shots. That's very easy to guard.

Why is it harder to score in college than NBA? 

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6 hours ago, alexava said:

Why is it harder to score in college than NBA? 

In college talent is more dispersed; so it's much easier to key in on one person because you don't have a bunch of rotational or role players that can really make you pay. You take away that one threat and you more than likely will win.

Teams play zone in college less isolation ball. You can pack lanes and congest the paint. You have fewer ball handlers and the pace of the game is usually slower, and even when a guy can handle the ball ok mostcan't handle a press. 

With less isolation ball it's harder to draw fouls and less living at the free throw line to get points. 

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My answer is only two things:  true zone defense and more physicality permitted on the ball handler. Even with freedom of movement rules, you can be more physical on the ball in college than in the NBA. 

On top of those, if you need another, no continuation rule. Changes shooting fouls to on-the-floor and takes away and-1 opportunities. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, at least we'll be likely to have at least 4 straight years with a first rounder. And I wouldn't be terribly surprised if we have more than one next year.

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It'll be interesting to see how he pans out. Would have enjoyed watching him make a name for himself at AU but not meant to be it appears.

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28 minutes ago, gravejd said:

It'll be interesting to see how he pans out. Would have enjoyed watching him make a name for himself at AU but not meant to be it appears.

That still doesn't tell me that Cooper will not return. We won't know it until the draft is over, and then we still won't know possibly until before 5:00pm on the following Monday after the draft. He has until then to pull his name out...

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6 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

That still doesn't tell me that Cooper will not return. We won't know it until the draft is over, and then we still won't know possibly until before 5:00pm on the following Monday after the draft. He has until then to pull his name out...

IMO he's gone if he has a first round grade.

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4 minutes ago, gravejd said:

IMO he's gone if he has a first round grade.

I agree w that.

Heck, these guys, these days, may go even if they are a high enough 2nd round pick; 

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On 3/23/2021 at 12:26 AM, alexava said:

Why is it harder to score in college than NBA? 

Simple answer is players aren’t as talented.   

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that was a given, and from the sounds of it, Bruce Pearl doesn't expect him to be back anyway

I don't think you press for at least 2 more PGs (one being a vet in Pinson and another being a young fella in Tyty) if you thought he was returning. Ofc, if he did return, you'd probably pull the offer on one of the two, so no real harm done either way. I think we'll be fine, will probably be a slow start in terms of chemistry, but getting someone as accustomed to the SEC as Pinson is and other vet minds to round out the roster should tide us over in the long term

I hate comparing us to them in any facet, but look to Alabama for evidence of that. Arkansas kinda sorta as well 

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4 hours ago, Rednilla said:

Well, at least we'll be likely to have at least 4 straight years with a first rounder. And I wouldn't be terribly surprised if we have more than one next year.

Three, but yeah it's great to have players drafting high enough to sell crootin' if they do go pro early. We've had eight first round NBA picks in our history and two have come in the last two years. :)

When players leave early when they know they'll be free agent (almost always for financial reasons, so COMPLETELY justifiable on their part!), it really is the worst of both worlds for the team.

Are our prospects still pretty good for next year, even without him?

Edited by AUwent
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15 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Three, but yeah it's great to have players drafting high enough to sell crootin' if they do go pro early. We've had eight first round NBA picks in our history and two have come in the last two years. :)

When players leave early when they know they'll be free agent (almost always for financial reasons, so COMPLETELY justifiable on their part!), it really is the worst of both worlds for the team.

Are our prospects still pretty good for next year, even without him?

Yes. Bruce has a plan.

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This was going to happen everybody but us it seems knew it.....this is why I was frustrated when Davidson committed to bammer.....and some tried to pretend that we didn't want him

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5 hours ago, aubaseball said:

Simple answer is players aren’t as talented.   

I think you might be reading it backards. 

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13 hours ago, AUwent said:

Three, but yeah it's great to have players drafting high enough to sell crootin' if they do go pro early. We've had eight first round NBA picks in our history and two have come in the last two years. :)

When players leave early when they know they'll be free agent (almost always for financial reasons, so COMPLETELY justifiable on their part!), it really is the worst of both worlds for the team.

Are our prospects still pretty good for next year, even without him?

The fourth is Jabari. Jabari could be flew to the moon for the next decade and be a first round pick

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Sharife Cooper enters NBA Draft, will not return to Auburn

6 minutes ago

Auburn could have its third consecutive first-round NBA draft pick this year.

Tigers point guard Sharife Cooperannounced Friday he's entering the NBA Draft, becoming the second Auburn player to do so this offseason after forward JT Thor.

Whereas Thor is considered a top-100 prospect but isn't commonly found in mock drafts, Cooper, formerly the highest-rated signee in Auburn basketball history, has largely been given a consensus first-round draft grade since he played his first game with Auburn in January.

Cooper told ESPN's Jonathan Givony that he is hiring an agent and will not return to Auburn.

"Would like to give a special thanks to my teammates as well as Bruce Pearl," Cooper tweeted. "Was a dream come true to play under you and learn from the best college coach there is! Thanks and love you coach!

"Auburn fans, you wouldn't understand how much I appreciate the love and support you guys showed before I even stepped on campus . Auburn is truly a special place and I'm proud I could say I went to school and found a second home here!"

Cooper wasn't cleared to play for Auburn until the team's 12th game of the season due to eligibility concerns over an undisclosed NCAA investigation. Once he was inserted into the lineup, however, Cooper shined as one of the top point guards in college basketball.

He averaged a team-high 20.2 points per game and 8.1 assists, the latter of which was good for the second-best mark in the country. Despite only appearing in 12 games after sitting out the start of the season and missing the end of the year with an ankle injury, Cooper scored at least 25 points in five different games, joining LSU's Cam Thomas and Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham as the only freshmen in the country to do so.

The point guard scored or assisted on 47.2% of the team's offensive output while playing. Since assists became an official NCAA statistic in 1983, Auburn has had four individual performances in program history in which a freshman player notched a double-double with points and assists. Cooper had three of them this season.

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5COMMENTS

ESPN, CBS Sports and The Athletic currently have Cooper rated as the N0. 16, No. 22 and No. 17 overall player in the 2021 draft class, respectively.

Cooper and Thor have until July 19 to withdraw their names from the draft process should they choose to return to school and not sign with an agent. Other Auburn players likely looking to test their draft stock, like wing Allen Flanigan, must enter their names into the draft by May 30.

Edited by toddc
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  • toddc changed the title to Cooper to NBA Draft Won’t Return
  • toddc changed the title to Cooper to Enter NBA Draft Won’t Return
2 minutes ago, gravejd said:

Good luck Coop!

Yep, enjoyed those 12 games we got to see you in. :)

It really is sad college fans can't get to see these type players a little longer.

 

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